Every day I get a handful of requests to join our little private site. I expected a big wave when I first opened up. I knew there would be stragglers, but now I’ve been reopened for five months and still, people are coming to me. This has made me curious, how did you learn about my site? I know most of you knew about it before I went private and got my messages about reopening through the blog. I assumed most of you all would have joined shortly after I reopened.
I guess what I’m curious about is have their been messages on other bootleg boards about my reopening? Have any of you discovered the site after it went private? Where did you hear about it? Please let me know in the comments. I’m curious how the word spreads since finding me via search engines is no longer a thing.
themidnightcafe.org 
Via dead.net discussion thread years ago. Thanks for what you do!
It always worried me a little bit that folks were discussing my blog on the official Dead site. But no one seemed to mind. Or the powers that be weren’t really paying attention.
Hello to all. I apologize for posting this here but I can’t figure out how to start a new thread. I recently moved and had to change my email address as it was connected with my former internet provider. I have changed my email address on the WordPress site but I am no longer receiving the emails from this blog. Can anyone tell me how to correct that?
Thank you all and stay safe.
I was using the Midnight Cafe for a couple years after searching for some Dylan shows. I was fortunate enough to receive the email invite to the WordPress site. Thx for all you do Mat!
same here
I found out about it very recently from my brother.
I found you a few years ago(has it been that long?) just doing a google search for Bob Dylan bootlegs. I haven’t mentioned the site to anyone since you went private.
I haven’t seen any mention of you anywhere else. Sorry this is not much help
No worries. Thanks for responding. This isn’t a big deal at all, I was just curious. Thanks for letting me know your experience.
I found you a few years back when looking for Van Morrison bootlegs. I’ve not returned for a while and when I did discovered you’d gone private! Not shared details to anyone else yet! However, I much appreciate your generous work in sharing many treasures. Many thanks.
I have been following you for about 3 years. I love your site and appreciate your hard work and dedication. Keep it up and most of all stay safe!
Thanks. Yes, please stay safe. It is crazy out there.
I want to make it clear that I don’t mind if you tell others about the site. I’m not against the word spreading that I’ve reopened. I’m happy to see people sharing my site on the various other bootleg sites. I think keeping the site private will keep out the bots and whatever that would get me in trouble away. Sharing that I’m open on similar sites shouldn’t cause me any trouble.
This was really just a curiosity question. My assumption was that after a few weeks everyone who knew about my site would have come in already. But the requests keep coming (it is just a few a day so its not a deluge). So I was wondering if there were new people just now discovering my site or what.
Hi Matt
I looked at your old site for years. Then when it went private I didn’t do anything about it (laziness on my part!). Out of the blue i got an email from you inviting me to the party. That was appreciated greatly.
Haven’t heard any mention of your site elsewhere.
Stay safe and well mate
I have been using your site for a long time, since long before you reopened
Now is the time to say “Thank you” from the bottom of my heart.
Simon Blokker
The Netherlands
So first, let me thank you for all your hard work – I’m terrible at thanking posters!
I’ve followed a large number of blogs & sites for many, many years, including yours, using various apps etc. I tend to skim through 100-200 RSS posts a day to pick out what I might be interested in. So I tend to notice what’s been posted, but not necessarily who – or more importantly, I don’t always spot who hasn’t.
When I have time, I do check in case the site is dead, the feed has moved etc – but I often don’t. So it took me awhile to notice you’d gone originally. Then that you were back. Longer still to do something about it. And even longer to get a wordpress account so I could actually resume!
Well, I’m glad you found me again. I don’t use RSS feeds but I’m terrible at noticing when sites go down.
Hi Mat,I came via The Midnight Cafe as you were winding it up. I love the fact that I boot up my laptop after a days work and there are more often that not gifts aplenty. Many many thanks.I have never managed to get onto the site itself as it takes me round in circles. Can you advise me what to do?Cheers, Keith
Others have had similar problems. As best I can figure it is a problem with your browser’s security settings. Unfortunately, I don’t know which specific setting that’s causing that issue so I don’t know how to tell you to fix it. You might try logging in with another browser to see if that works. If it does then I’d say it is definitely the settings. If that is the case then you might muck about in your settings to see if you can tell it how to allow WordPress to work. Sorry, that is vague and not very helpful.
Hi Matt,
A little info that might help this mystery? I use Safari on Mac, and each time I go to log in, there is a banner at the top of the webpage that has a blue connect button “to enable all of the features” or something like that. When I click that button, then I can log in, or otherwise the login does go in circles.
I’m writing this from memory (since I’m logged in), but perhaps that will help the others. And the next time I have to log in, I’ll try to get a screen shot or cut/paste the info to be a bit more precise.
And thanks for the site! Randy
I initially found you through a favorite blogs list on http://thenewjdp.blogspot.com/. I was really sorry to see you shut down, but you mentioned you might reopen, so I keep looking for it! I really appreciate all you do and am happy to be part of this community!
Hi Matt
Came to the site through your invite in your blog. Very pleased to have you back and posting again. Thank you for all that you do especially in these strange times. Stay well and safe.
Chris Field
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
I found you way back when and came more recently from your invite. I have told a few friends about you and suggested they reach out to you if they were interested, but don’t know if they have. They should.
As a long time collector of Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead, I used to search for live material to download. Some years ago I found (possibly searching on google, I don’t remember) the old “Midnight Cafe” and was a keen downloder from it. Then I read one of your last posts when you decided to change
and reached the new way through your invite in your new blog. Again many thanks for the past the present and the future.
I can’t remember how i found your site,but am very grateful that it is still open.
I found this quite some time ago while looking for grateful dead shows. I was devastated when the original Cafe went dark. I saw your October 15th post on So Many Roads announcing the re-opening. Happy days!!
I have been a music collector for soo long long, discovering the collector charms of the internet quite some years ago, so I found you somehow when your site was open, and used it as I did with the others – probably a reference from another site or a chance google search. Therefore it worried me to see the source dry out, so when you announced going private I signed up. And got an invite, for which I am eternally grateful :-). So I still check up regularly and I am notified by mail, so I am perfectly happy with the service – and I really mean PERFECTLY HAPPY. Couldn’t wish for more than what I get :-). I am the only person I know with this insane hobby, so I haven’t given away your site to any other person, but in case I should ever meet a kindred spirit as crazy as I am, I for sure will mention The Midnight Cafe to such a person.
Was on a jerry kick the other day being quarantined and all… took a deep dive into the annals of the internet, and on reddit found something mentioning your blog. It’s amazing! Thank you!!!!
I discovered your site some time back when looking for a treasured remembered concert. I bookmarked the site and was sad later that it had fallen out of reach. But I kept coming back now and then, and you gave me a new chance to relish that concert and countless more. Thank you very much!
I probably found a link on another site several years ago when you were still public. Happily joined the private site when you set it up. Thank you for all your hard work. I’ve never mentioned you on other sites as I’m not one for comments. I may have sent a link via e-mail to a particular posting to family music heads over the years, but that’s about it. Stay healthy and sane….
Can’t remember how I happened into the cafe. I know I’d only just discovered it when you had to go on a ‘sabbatical’. But as a Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and NY+CH it’s a great site…especially in the current lockdown situation.
Years ago looking for Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead shows and have checked the site everyday since.
Had been a follower for years, referred by a fellow Dead Head and Dylan fan, and when you shut down, it felt like my local library had closed. I kept the bookmark as a type of wishful thinking. Very glad you’re back – know that your efforts are appreciated a great deal!
hi mat, i was a follower of your previous blog which i came to know about from expecting rain. please keep up the good work!
Been a member/follower for quite a while. I knew that you were going to do something eventually and I just kept trying to log in. 🙂
Hi Mat,
First of all thank you for your kindness. Music feeds my soul and I’ve had several Van meals through you. I knew about your site before it went private and visited a few times then. I managed to correspond with you on a Reddit Bob Dylan post and you gave me an invite. Now I visit this site regularly.
I found you before you went private — maybe 2 years ago or so? I don’t remember exactly how I came across you, but I think it was either through a search for JGB shows, or as a link from another site’s sidebar list.
Thanks again for all your work!
Thanks for the commends and kind words everybody. This has been an interesting read. Keep them coming.
I too found you’re website before it became private. I don’t remember exactly how I found it, but knowing me, I probably stumbled upon it. Thanks for all the music you share.
I knew before you went private so you sent me an e-mail if I remember correctly.
No I haven’t seen any comments about your site outside of it.
Hope that helps, Chris.
Hi Mat,
I do not know how long I have been a follower of your blog. maybe as far back as almost the beginning. anyway, your time and effort in spreading the music far and wide is highly appreciated.
much mahalo…
Hey Matt, thanks for the invite. Been hanging out here for long time. Thanks for the invite. Come over some time for a cup Parmesan and some cookies, david
Argh. Predictive changed “cuppa into parmesan.
mat, i knew bout you before and you invited me of your new site. i don’t like that you are more widely known (and if the powers know i really don’t like that) i wish it were more on the dl cause i really appreciated your shared tunes (especially the gd) hope that in the future they don’t bother you. in these times more than ever it brightens my lonely days to hear what you offer, thanks keep your head low and stay safe
Mat, I knew your site since a long tiome. Found it looking for Dylan und Dead. You invited me to your new site, which is great. Stay tunes and many thanks.
hello Mat, I know of you knew before you went private ( expectingrain.com ) and later I’ ve got your messages about reopening through your blog and I joined again. Greetings & keep on keeping on. Manfred alias marigu.
> WordPress.com “WordPress.com” h
Thanks, Mat. I was on midnight cafe for a long time before the hiatus. And then you found me and other followers. And we are eternally grateful you did!
I am oldie, Matt. So been here eons
Have not seen your site info posted anyplace . Been with you for years rejoined when you sent invite. Thank you for all your generous work. enjoy all your efforts thanks again
Hi Matt, I found you before you went private. Thanks for inviting us back.
Hi Matt, as gormenghast56, I found you before you went private and couldn’t bear to be parted so signed up straight away. Thanks for inviting me back and thanks for the ongoing releases.
Greetings Mat – I’ve traded and downloaded shows for many years from many individuals and tracker sites, but only recently – a few weeks into this pandemic – have I become aware of your site. I have an old friend and fellow live music fan to thank for turning me onto it. Especially after one of my favorite private sites got shut down a few years back, leaving a large hole in my source options. I couldn’t be happier with all the Zimmy and Neil I’ve found and am enjoying, along with some artists’ live material I’ve not really explored before.
And now I check in pretty much every day. Many thanks for all the hard work you put in and if you ever decide to ask us for artist suggestions, I’ll be glad to oblige!
Be well.
Hi Matt,
I‘d visited your old side for many years. With your help my collection of Townes Van Zandt and Bob Dylan recordings got bigger and bigger. I was a little worried as you announced the end of Midnight Café and very glad as I got your e-Mail to continue this way. I never saw a link or another way to your downloads. I‘m very happy to get your posts this way and want to thank you for your efforts and for so much great music!
It’s been awhile since I joined but I would guess it was a Dylan post on the Steve Hoffman Music Forum. Could someone help me with unzipping these files. Sometimes I unzip and all the files have song names. Sometimes I unzip and only get Track 1, Track 2 etc. Don’t know what i am doing wrong. I use Windows10 and whatever default unzipping program it has. Thx.
I’m sorry that’s happening. I’m afraid I don’t know what the problem may be. I’m on a Mac and aI zip the files with its Archive program. I haven’t heard any other complaints about your issue. Do you remember which specific shows this is happening on?
If you do a search on google images and go in about between 8 and 20 pages deep depending on what you are really looking for with me its music and blogs and others that have been delisted but still operate, and on occasion I will find a image from your old site and a link. The next time Im searching that way I will take a screen shot and send it to you. It happens enough at the deeper levels that it almost becomes expected. I start seeing images for torrent sites and others that google tries not to show but if you keep hammering the search… links start appearing.
Im sure im not the only one who does this kind of search. Or am I?.
Hey Mat – I came to you a few years back doe some Lyle Lovett and friends stuff. I’ve been with ya since. I haven’t seen anything from you other than your ta-ta for now when you ended the last endeavor. Sorry not much help – but I would see your posts/updates in other people’s blogs/sites quite a bit before.